


The Truth

by Ladiladida



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: Divorce, Embarrassment, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Humor, Online Dating, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Tinder, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, uncertain future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-26 02:17:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14990600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladiladida/pseuds/Ladiladida
Summary: Cormoran is thrust into a world where Robin is using Tinder, Robin is trying to regain her confidence following her split from Matthew. But not everything is how they both perceive it. When it comes to the crunch, how deep does their bond really run?





	The Truth

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a multi chapter story from me, but not a very lengthy one... at the moment. I have redited some of the bits I wanted in italics several times and it just won't play ball, my apologies.

_Cormoran ___

__It was official, Robin had fallen for someone, Cormoran could tell. She was agitated and giving sideways looks to the bag that held her phone. She didn’t seem impatient to be elsewhere exactly, but she was anticipating something that was certain. This didn’t bode well for him, it was bad enough when he caught her swiping on Tinder, pretending to take a casual interest and listening to her justifications for swiping right. It had been six months since Robin had separated from Matthew, though neither had applied for divorce yet. Six months and yet still in such a brief period, Cormoran felt like he had missed the window again. It was a complex process, it needed to be timed right between them, otherwise all this that they’d built together would come crumbling down._ _

__With dinner concluded, she having hardly ate a thing, they went upstairs to their rooms. Robin pulled out her phone and checked it, scrolling once or twice but at what Cormoran couldn’t see. She was about to return it to her bag when she hesitated and she quickly scrolled once more. Her body actions were textbook signs of someone waiting for a message._ _

__“You alright?” Cormoran asked her, hoping for another five minutes of having her to himself._ _

__“Fine.” She said with a forced smile, but her eyes said the complete opposite.  
Her text tone rang, she took it out and rolled her eyes, returning it this time to her pocket. She obviously wanted it close in case that important someone was going to text her, he surmised. They had found themselves staying in Southampton for a few days, following a lead on what might well be a sort of black widow situation. He was looking forward to another one of their trips together, she was relaxed with him at the office, but here, he would see the real relaxed evening Robin. The one he wanted after hours._ _

__“It’s only seven thirty,” Cormoran began as they reached their adjacent hotel room doors, he’d done the booking himself to make sure of it. “Shall we get some drinks sent up and go over the plan of attack for tomorrow?”_ _

__Robin pushed her shoulders back and flexed her neck, she was tired he could tell._ _

__“Do you mind if we do it in the morning, I…”_ _

__“Of course!” He overlapped quickly, not letting her finished, he felt foolish at suggesting it. His tone was overcompensating for his real disappointment._ _

__“I’m really tired.” She finished._ _

__Cormoran looked at her for a long moment, giving her a forced smile, Robin hadn’t been the same since she’d ducked off for ten minutes to make a call. She’d been more tightly wound and side tracked ever since._ _

__“It’s fine.” He made his smile go broader though he felt far from smiling. The guy who was making her this anxious was a complete bastard in his view, a lucky bastard. He patted her on the arm just to fill the pause as they looked at each other and Robin looked like she wanted to say something else. It was brief a moment of hesitation, he hoped she might change her mind. But returning his smile, she slid her room key into the lock and pushed open the door._ _

__“Goodnight Cormoran.” She said softly and he waited until her door closed before opening his own, pretending he didn’t hover for a further ten seconds just in case. As the hotel room door closed, he flicked on the light and beheld the pleasant but taunting single room. Cormoran rested his body weight against the closed door for a moment, rubbing his own tired eyes with both hands. Christ, he needed a cigarette but with an aching knee he had no interest in hobbling back downstairs. His eyes glanced to the mini bar and he moved to inspect its contents. There were two miniature whiskies inside and in this instance he cared little for the cost. Settling himself on the bed, not quite willing to remove his prosthesis just in case, he turned on the tv and sipped at the whisky._ _

___Robin ____ _

____Robin looked around her single room and wondered why hotels always went for such dark cream colours and dull wall paper in their rooms. It reflected her mood and she didn’t like that. Inside she felt a mixture of emotions, but the definite forerunner was anxiety. Pulling out her phone she looked at the message as yet unread on her lock screen, it was from Matthew._ _ _ _

_____You’ll be happy to know I filed the papers today, I gave you a chance to change your mind. M ____ _ _ _

______She could hear his voice saying those words to her, he could fuck off, he wasn’t her problem anymore. What did he imagine? That she had been sat here all these weeks racking her brains over ways she’d live without him. He’d hate it if he knew all the other handsome, successful, albeit some rather odd men that had taken her out for dinner or drinks. But no, he could fuck off!_ _ _ _ _ _

______Sitting on the bed, she kicked off her shoes and looked at her feet. Robin had barely eaten at dinner, but had drank a glass of wine which was never a good idea on an empty stomach. The phone was cast idly on the bed top and she flopped backwards, staring at the yellowing ceiling. This room was depressing, the only good thing about it was the bathroom and she considered having a bath._ _ _ _ _ _

______The drive had been long and she’d walked and worked a good deal with Cormoran today, it’d been a good distraction until alarm bells started ringing. She’d all but determined to delete Tinder off her phone, it’d been a confidence boost as well as exhausting being back on the dating scene… or rather attempting the dating scene. Along her dating journey she’d met some interesting people, both in the genuine sense of the word and the weird sense._ _ _ _ _ _

______But at last she’d realised it was not the way for her to meet someone, indeed in the current circumstances; it wasn’t the best thing to pursue. Out of them all, there’d been one who had turned her head a little, the only one indeed that was taller than her. In her recent dating experience, she had realised a lot of men seemed to be getting shorter, she didn’t mind that and she would never genuinely use such a thing as a reason not to be with someone she care for. But Matthew had never let her wear heels and he towered above her. She’d only recently had the pleasure of wearing them exactly when she wanted to without a care to anyone else’s pride._ _ _ _ _ _

______But Rory had been different, a 6ft 2inch construction worker aged thirty two who enjoyed Spanish cinema and knew every gourmet burger place worth visiting in London. He was easy to talk to on the whole, though she did get a bit lost when he raved about Spanish directors, she’d only heard of one of them. He’d written her a recommendation list, she was unlikely ever to watch any of them, but he could also be quite witty. After four dates she had bitten the bullet and stayed the night, despite her misgivings. She had appreciated her liberation from an unhappy marriage more than the night itself, though all in all she had enjoyed herself and liked. Despite this she had thought it best to let it end on a high and not to her surprise, Rory was happy to keep things ‘casual’._ _ _ _ _ _

______The other five men she’d dated barely warranted remembering their names, though the memories would stay with her forever, none of them needed a second date, she’d squared them up straight away._ _ _ _ _ _

______Then there was Cormoran, it always came back to him these days. It didn’t help that they’d kissed… twice… at the New Year’s Eve party held at Nick and Ilsa’s three months ago. It was water under the bridge now; they’d both acknowledged that being alone at a festive time with a whole lot of alcohol thrown into the mix had been its catalyst. Well… that’s what Robin told herself and though she knew he was fond of her, he had plenty of female company in the sphere he was comfortable with. Cormoran didn’t see her in a romantic way deep down, she was sure of that._ _ _ _ _ _

______Looking back to her bag, Robin came to the conclusion that she had to take the bull by the horns, but all she really wanted was a couple of glasses of wine and maybe an ill judged stumble next door to see where it lead. Robin got up and filled one of the disposable plastic cops with water and then opening her bag she pulled out the small paper chemist’s one. Slowly, she withdrew the item and flipped it to the back to read about the accuracy of the test. Apparently this one could give indication of the number of weeks she could be. At least that would rule out a potential father in the equation. Please God don’t let it be Matthew, then again explaining to everyone that the father could be a one night stand didn’t look great, she thought. Plus, how Matthew would smirk when he found out. All this and the sight of the test made Robin suddenly feet so vulnerable, so alone and tears pricked at her eyes. Before she knew it had picked up her phone and text him._ _ _ _ _ _

_______I’ve done something stupid, I need your help. R ____ _ _ _ _ _

________She heard movement through the wall and without two minutes passing by, Cormoran was rapping on her door._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________The Truth ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Robin was sat on the edge of the bath, the unopened test in her hands that lay limp on her lap. Cormoran had taken up his station on the toilet, his hands mirroring hers. She suddenly felt silly asking him to come, it had been a moment of weakness, but he was the only person she could really rely on outside of her family._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“So is this what’s been bothering you all day?” Cormoran asked gently, observing her downturned shoulders and tired eyes. He’d only left her half an hour ago but she seemed far more careworn, this was the real her that he was seeing right now. The Robin who was away from her people in a city that she’d moved to for a man she’d no longer loved. She nodded her head at him and yet surprisingly she laughed a little._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“This is all a bit deep, sorry.” She explained and waving the test in one hand, she stood up. “I best get on with it.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Hang on…” Cormoran put his hand up in a gesture for her to stay seated, “What makes you think that you are?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I was…” Was she really going to talk about periods with him, “I was anticipating a visit and it’s more than fashionably late.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“That doesn’t mean you’re pregnant.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I’ve slept with two men in the last three months.” She said almost shamefaced, hating the fact that she was judging herself so harshly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Well I know I haven’t forgotten such an event, so that rules me out… Tinder went well did it?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Oh God!” Robin replied, covering her hand with her free face, “I don’t even want to tell you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She said nothing and for a moment, so Cormoran naturally assumed that the stories were going to be embarrassing. But then when he heard her start to cry, he realised._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Matthew?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Robin nodded and her crying increased, so much so that he stood up in an instant and did his best to perch on the bath beside her. Many months ago when she and had told him about her ordeal at university, Cormoran had nearly taken her hand but thought better of it. It had been the first time she’d truly opened up to him. Now here she was, crying again and he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to offer her support this time. Robin felt his strong arm come about her shoulders and pull him to her, a temple resting against his broad shoulder and she let it all come out for a few minutes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Cormoran wasn’t disappointed with her that she’d gone back to Matthew, they had a long history and life without him at times would no doubt seem too intimidating. Matthew for all his faults was the devil she knew, without him, the future was uncertain. Cormoran appreciated that could make her a feel rudderless at times. Robin was, after all, only human. Cormoran himself knew from experience how hard it could be to disentangle yourself from a long and complicated relationship. Robin pulled herself together and raised her head, yet she did not move away from him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“It might not be him, it could be that Rory I was seeing for a while.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Well…” He tried to keep it light, “If you are and it’s his, he’ll be a dab hand for the DIY.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She laughed, she was sniffling but she laughed, that made him happy._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I’m glad you told me, I was wracking my brains what it could be. I was going to do the whole ‘tell me where he lives’ thing if he’d hurt you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I can stand up for myself. Matt was a mistake but he knows now, he’s filed our divorce papers today.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Then that’s one certainty.” He replied with a smile, her large, watery eyes glistening up at him. “Let’s see about another.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Dutifully he got up and moved towards the bathroom door to give her some privacy, but as he moved to close it he said._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“You’re not on your own you know, however this goes.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I know.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Come out when you’re done, I’ll wait with you… I might even let you hold my hand.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She really laughed now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“What a gent!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
